Rant and Rave Monday

I think that after what happened to Miguel Olivo last season when he asked for and got his release from the Marlins only to have no takers for his services and to have it happen again this spring when the Dodgers designated him has changed him. He is a man on a mission who takes nothing for granted. I think he will do whatever it takes to stay in the majors. My question is: Will the Dodgers keep 3 catchers when Ellis returns? I doubt it, so they have to choose between losing Butera or Olivo. I think they will keep Miggy!

Brian Wilson is concealing an injury – something ain’t right – he looks like he is laboring to throw. Figure it out… and soon!

Yasiel Puig is a tank – he will be fine after tangling with the wall!

Prospect on the rise – Kyle Farmer

Prospect on the decline – James Baldwin (he’s in danger of being released).

Of course Dee Gordon won’t keep this up… WILL HE? But he has to stay at 2B.

If I were the Dodgers, I’d let Guerrero play SS and 3B in AAA – utility man!

Greinke needs to go 8 tonight!

Last night at Midnight, Baby Ava joined the party. This is my 4th grandaughter!

32 thoughts on “Rant and Rave Monday”

Badgersays:

Puig made one hell of an effort. From an athletic perspective, the old coach and PE teacher coming out now, I think a few of our better natural athletes need courses in dance, tumbling and sliding. It appears that few use the stand up slide anymore (the quickest and most direct of all) and I haven’t seen many do a a proper right and left hook slide. Both Kemp and Puig look like bulls running into the wall. They need to learn how to turn their back to the ball, run full speed to the wall then gracefully jump. If they don’t learn how to do this, both will continue to get hurt.

Bobbie17says:

Gordon cannot play better than he has. Still the team stinks. So much for the value of a lead-off man. Sooner or later he will get hurt and that will be that. This bullpen is a mess. Paco stinks. Wilson stinks. Jansen is so-so. Only a couple of guys you could consider reliable. Remember last year when our 3 year manager discovered Paco, etc, and the team started to win? Can it happen again? Last year he gave up on the old arms and went with the other guys and it worked. Who are the other guys now?

Jimbosays:

Congrats Mark. Loved the effort Puig had. I just worry that he’s going to have a Kemp in Coors moment. This isn’t the thread Mark brought it up in but here goes. If the Dodgers tried to trade Crawford or Ethier who would take them? For example, Would Seattle take either of them if we paid their entire salary this year and all but 4 million each of the remaining years? Would Tampa take Crawford under a similar type of deal? I could see Ethier wanting to go to Boston but I don’t know if Boston would want him. It’s unfortunate but we need to trade one of them so that Mattingly is no longer trying to fit 5 outfielders into 3 spots. Kemp and Puig play every day and Van Slyke platoons with the one that isn’t traded. Maybe the return on the trade would be a 5th outfielder that understands his roll. That way Pederson could stay in AAA playing every day.

Badgersays:

Each WAR point is worth around 6 million. Figure out how much WAR each would be worth if starting, or getting around 500 at bats for whatever team you trade with. ig – if Ethier can get 3 WAR in the NL West, he sure as hell could get that or more in the AL East. Crawford might be a different animal. But to give them away for nothing, and pay their salary is really dumb and should get a GM canned if he did it.

They are not going with a youth movement this year. The horses are in place to pull this cart to the finish line. Kershaw and Ryu need to be ok by summer. Kemp and Puig need to figure out how to keep from running into walls and Ramirez needs to do what he can do. This team does not stink. They just haven’t got it rolling yet. The only thing that will keep them from the playoffs is the DL.

We have seen the best of Gordon. He can steal 100 bases if he can get on at .333 the rest of the way. The pen will work itself out.

Baez, who will be making his first appearance on the Dodgers’ active roster, has appeared in 11 games for Chattanooga this season, posting a 1-0 record with five saves and a 2.84 ERA (4 ER/12.2 IP). The hard-throwing right-hander last pitched on Friday vs. Tennessee and fired 2.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. The 26-year-old appeared in his first Major League camp this spring after he was added to the 40-man roster on Nov. 20, 2013 and pitched in two games for the club, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings. Baez, who converted to a pitcher after spending his first six professional seasons as an infielder, is from Bani, Dominican Republic, which is the same hometown as Dodger infielder Juan Uribe.

Fife was recalled from Albuquerque Sunday to make a spot start at Miami and took the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits in 6.0+ innings in the Dodgers’ 4-3 defeat.

The Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, with six World Series championships and 21 National League pennants since its beginnings in Brooklyn in 1890, is committed to a tradition of pride and excellence. The Dodgers are dedicated to supporting a culture of winning baseball, providing a first-class, fan-friendly experience at Dodger Stadium, and building a strong partnership with the community. With the highest cumulative fan attendance in Major League Baseball history, and a record of breaking barriers, the Dodgers are one of the most cherished sports franchises in the world.

Bballsays:

Bobbysays:

Haha, we saw the weather report at 30% chance of rain by 8pm in DC. I didn’t care, but since I was taking my young nephew and niece with me I thought any potential rain delays would be too much of a headache to deal with with young kids at night, so I stayed in.

Bballsays:

Brooklyn Dodgersays:

Maybe Baez will stay. But he could just be filling a spot in our overworked pen until Kershaw is activated tomorrow, and somebody has to be sent out.

The Dodgers definitely do not stink. And while they are 18-14, the Cardinals, who everybody praises for doing it the Cardinal Way, are 16-16. Do they stink also? In a 162 game schedule you cannot measure a team its record after 32 games (one-fifth of the schedule).

Unquestionably there are issues that have to be addressed, and there is no doubt that we need better performances from several of our players. But unless the DL becomes a major issue with the Dodgers this year, it’s likely that the cream will ultimately rise to the top. I still look for much stronger performances from Hanley and Kemp, Kershaw is coming back, A.J. Ellis is coming back, and I’m still hopeful that the bullpen can be straightened out. And hopefully Ryu will also be back relatively soon.

It could be that Pederson will remain at ALBQ all year. However, if the Dodgers deem him ready, then I have little doubt that they will find a way to make room for him. That could happen in the next month, it could happen later. And if Ethier and/or Crawford are traded, don’t think that it can’t be part of larger deal including other players. And if the Dodgers think it’s the difference in winning or losing, they won’t hesitate to eat contract money.

Badgersays:

Ethier needs to net 7.9 WAR (after this year) to earm his money. Crawford needs to net 8.8 to earn his (both 3 years). Is that possible? Of course it is. The Dodgers should not have swallow that much money to move them! Of course, knowing Jed’s record of getting snookered, if a trade is made, they will likely pay too much.

BOBsays:

Looks like Baez has a Broxton type fastball. Or maybe anyone who is told to or insists on throwing 4 straight fastballs, when they have other good pitches, is gonna get killed. Let a rookie or tell a rookie to throw a slider on his first pitch because that is what good pitchers do. Dodgers do not need any more throwers.

Bill Russellsays:

Watford Dodgersays:

Well done Mark – looking forward to Grandkids – easier than your own kids.
See Kershaw slated for tonight. Let’s hope he can inspire the offense. 8 hits no runs last night. Who is clutch on this team? Who would you get to hit for you bottom 9th, game 7 World Series with wining run at 3rd with 2 outs? Be easy to say no one on this team but if I was pushed I’d like to see Gonzo coming up. If not maybe Uribe. Didn’t think I’d be saying that a year ago. Would be preparing for extra innings that’s for sure.